Welcome to the faste
st skiers in the world
Turoa Skifields is host to a major internationai speed-skiing event over the next ten days. The F.I.S.V. (Federation Internationai de Ski de Vitesse) race and the New Zealand speed skiing cup event will be held at Turoa from 1 1 to 19 September. The internationai race was to be the prelude to a world record attempt at Portillo, Chile, however lack of snow there means that the Turoa race may be the only world series speed skiing held in the Southern Hemisphere this year. Twenty-one speed skiers from Europe and another 1 4 from North America are already confirmed for the
event, including six who have exceeded 200 kms per hour on skis. They are Gerhard Botller from Austria, Swiss champion, Jean Cedric Michel, C.J. Mueller from the United States, ex-Canadian downhill team members Terry Watts and Kent Willis, and Scot, Alan Whyte. It is still possible that world champion, Franz
Weber of Austria, who holds the world record of 208.9 kms per hour (129 miles an hour), will attend. As well as teams from Austria, Britain, Canada, France, Switzerland and the United States there will also be individuals from Australia,' Chile, Finland, France and Sweden. Some of the top women
speed skiers will also be at Turoa, including the fastest women in North America, Kirsten Culver, who has done 198 kms per hour. About 25 New Zealanders are expected to compete, to bring the field to about 60 skiers. Last year at Turoa Henry van Asch became the first New Zealander to reach 1 00 miles an hour (161 kms per hour) on skis. Van Asch was beaten recently by fellow New Zealander Martin Jones in a round of the New Zealand Speed Cup at Cardrona. Both will be racingat Turoa. The Turoa course is on the Mangaehuehu Glacier, on the eastern boundary of Turoa. It has a start altitude of 2400 metres and has a vertical drop of 400 metres. The course length is one kilometre with the last 100 metre for timing and then a flat 500m outrun. The New Zealand Speed Skiing cup races will take place from 11 to 14 September, and the F.I.S.V. race from 15 to 19 September. The world series race will be officially opened by Mike Moore, Ministerof Tourism, at the Hot Lava club at 7pm on Sunday 14 September.
Speed skiers may do 200km/h
The course at Turoa, on the Mangaehuehu Glacier is good for 200kmh, say the organisers, and with perfect conditions, it is feasible the world record may fali. Sitting above the northeastern boundary of the Turoa Skifield, the course start is at an altitude of 2400m. The start is on the bottom slopes of the glacier, a wide tongue that reaches out of the crater of Mt ruaehu (2751m). The course drops 400m in its 2000m length, with a 50m speed trap. This is the run where national champion Henry van Asch broke the lOOmph ( 1 60kmh) barrier in October last year, and it has been acclaimed as a near perfect slope for speed skiing. Even contours give even drop, plenty of run-out room, and its position relative to Turoa Skifields make it one of the few lift-serviced speed courses in the world. It ranks with the great names of Les Arcs, La Clusaz, Silverton and Portillo.
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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 15, 9 September 1986, Page 12
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559Welcome to the faste st skiers in the world Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 15, 9 September 1986, Page 12
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